The French show us British up

[Ivanhoe]

The French are rioting because the French President wants to raise the State retirement age to 62 from 60.

The French show the British up.

[Hugh]

The French are rioting because the French President wants to raise the State retirement age to 62 from 60.

The French show the British up.

                MOB RULE and thats showing the British up 

[Papaumau]

Cut the sniping guys and go and take Chris's poll on the subject HERE.

This is too big and important a subject to get lost in petty squabbling.

[Ivanhoe]

Papaumau, I do not suffer fools gladly.

We can all the polls we like, we arent the French, we arent the Germans, we arent the Greeks, we are not like the true Europe populas who stand and be counted.

The British are largely politically indifferent, apathetic,  and politically thick, and we have a country that is also class entrenched.

We Brit's will never stand together until we are all in the gutter, when we are all in the gutter togther, maybe  then, we will stand and be counted against "the common enemy" that put us all there.

[Ivanhoe]

Cut the sniping guys and go and take Chris's poll on the subject HERE.

This is too big and important a subject to get lost in petty squabbling.

////This is too big and important a subject to get lost in petty squabbling./////

On here its not, out there it is.
 
 
 

[Papaumau]

I disagree Ivanhoe !

We CAN stand together when we are angry enough to want to do it:

I am sure that most of the readers of this forum will remember the Jarrow miners and their poverty march, and I can also remember the poll-tax riots and the fuel-protests that brought the people together in order to give the government a shock.

Maybe the time is coming when another such protest in Britain should hit the streets.

I think that after the draconian spending review we are going to find many people of one mind in the winter to come.

At least I hope so !

[Chrisjay]

Although I am moving soon and time and energy is at a premium I have been giving the idea of protests some thought.

If we could coordinate protests around the country city by city, town by town, village by village we might be able to organise something big enough to be taken seriously and yet accommodate the pensioners whose mobility, finances, health and disability issues would be more easily addressed.

Pensioners cannot afford in mass to descend on Downing Street, nor will many have the health to cope with such a protest,  but hundreds of small protests coordinated as I say around the country with local media involved in smaller places and national media in the larger area's would work.

We always manage to coordinate lighting the beacons around the country at times of celebration.

Next year is the Queens anniversary (of something) there must be at least one day where the country could be persuaded to unit on behalf of the pensioners both present and future - what do people think?

I am happy to try to get something organised in the Nottingham/ Sheffield area does anyone else want to talk about it?

Chris

[Ivanhoe]

/////I am happy to try to get something organised in the Nottingham/ Sheffield area does anyone else want to talk about it/////

Ive been trying to do this where I live for 20 years, with no takers, but if you can organise something, ille see if I can join you, if I have help with funding to travel.

[Chrisjay]

What funding?

This is typical of the idea that in order to protest you have to have someone pay you to go. 

The idea would be YOU organise something local that requires no travelling other than to a local meeting point and the date is coordinated throughout the country with every other organiser in their specific local area.

Are you trying to tell me you have never in 20 years organised anything in your local area despite all the posts you have made to the local paper. 

If you are going to need funding maybe now would be a good time to start some fund raising efforts in your area or maybe get the paper who have benefitted from your input to sponsor you - now there is a thought for everyone.

Chris (who is increasingly getting frustrated at lack of motivation) 

[Ivanhoe]

Chris Ward, your sarcasm is ignored, but your point is taken on board.  I have to say I assumed I would have to travel, and therefore plenty of funding would be needed, because im looking at the much wider view.  IE London.

Yes there have been local meetings organised by small groups ive had in the past, but fell away for personal reasons.

Tell me what events locally have you in mid ?, because ive no idea, 20 years has exhausted me.

[Chrisjay]

Thank you for ignoring my sarcasm as I am unfortunately by nature sarcastic at times we all have our faults especially when I am stressed as I am with my impending move.

First we need to look at next years calender unless someone thinks this could be accomplished before the end of this year.

Protests do not get media coverage if there is say a world cup match, Wimbledon, state occasions, royal weddings or any other news worthy events.  Governments like to bury bad news.

Could you get a list together of major sporting occasions and I will cover the royal calender.

Are there any volunteers to look at red nose day, children in need and the charity circuit in general?

There are various occasions every year like Remembrance Sunday (which would have been a good weekend to have a pensioners protest as there would be the debt the nation owed to the previous generation to us but of whom many are still alive)

When we have an idea of these dates we can start looking at what is left.

I do wonder if any of the unions would canvass support from their members as the reduction in pensions and the increase in their members contributions along with the proposed rise in retirement age must be of concern?  Anyone any contacts in any of the unions?

The above would be a start.

To refer back London is fine as a focal point but like you most of the countries pensioners cannot afford to travel unless we can get coach and train companies to lay on free transport which is not totally out of the equation

Chris

[Ivanhoe]

Chris Ward, Around 15 years ago I had the idea of starting a newspaper on pensioners issues, what do you think ?

[Chrisjay]

Go for it I am sure many pensioners would buy it and it would be a good platform to pass on information.

[Ivanhoe]

Precisely, but how does "one" go about it ?, and I was rather hoping "we" could do it together.

[Chrisjay]

OK I will put a newsletter together that can be emailed to everyone on this forum and the one Papa is on however as you know I am moving so my time is limited this month but I think we could have one out in about a month.

Now I will need as part of the 'we' articles that are current and relevant to the situation pensioners are in now - no political rhetoric unless it is very pertinent to the issues we would be writing about.

'We' need also to have our facts absolutely correct and if it is for the pensioners it needs to concentrate on the issues that will be affecting us in the next four years.  Also a suggestion would be useful links to places like CAB, Gov work and pensions site etc.

However remember this will only be sent to pensioners on the internet, we need to ask them to let us have address's of places like the local post office, library, welfare halls etc.  Once we are in a position to send out hard copies we either need some sponsorship I would suggest first port of call someone like ASDA who are very good at supporting community projects or we have to apply for funding possibly the Lottery community fund as I doubt the councils will give grants with the current cut backs.

In the first newsletter we could ask for volunteers who would print off the newsletter and distribute it locally to themselves and see if the distribution can grow that way.

Places like the CAB would possible put a link to our newsletter on their information site.  However, please be aware I will not do all the work myself as although the issues regarding pensioners is very important to me I cannot let it consume me.

I have the skills and equipment to produce a newsletter which would be available in two formats possible three but the challenge will be getting out to the pubic in general.

Everyone interested in joining this undertaking will need to assess what they can do in their own area to help and send information relative to their own area as geographically it must encompass the country as a whole and not just isolated pockets.

This would be my terms at getting this going as it will require a lot of work and research into the issues we put into the newsletter.

Its a pity you did not have me around when you ran for office I would have got you elected.

Chris